On the plane, the woman sitting next to me grasps my arm. She doesn’t speak, doesn’t look; only this gesture almost automatic. Compulsory.
It’s flight panic. Fear make us more instinctive, less scheming, more direct.
Few occasions remain for real physical contact between people. Especially among strangers, but often also among friends, with the family.
What make us abstain from contact with our fellow men? Etiquette? The urge not to engage? Laziness?
Taking someone else’s hand still is a strong experience. I was a bit shocked the first time I sow African adult males walking around hand by hand.
And surprised, a bit intimidated, when some of them got my hand: friends, neighbours, just colleagues.
Touch is stronger than words. Is a sign of mutual acknowledgment.
It is human and animal at the same time.
Month: August 2005
Tomorrow I’m going to Congo
It’s an intriguing phrase, I’m happy I have today an opportunity to pronounce it.
Congo is meant to be the real thing. Black Africa, Deep Africa, the Hearth of Darkness, explorers boiling in the big pot.
I’m going only for a while, but I might be back for a longer period.
Madoubougie
Progressing in the production of different textile items, we met Madoubougie, the king of waxing and colouring, who’s producing several fabrics with the enterprise’s official logo.
In order to preserve their privacy, I have treated the image below, unfortunately through this process the variety of colours got lost.
Madoubougie is the business name of this African entrepreneur, made of the abbreviation of his name (Madou for Mamadou for Mohammad) and bugie (= wax candle) as for his main working tool.
He produced already a pagne in green and is now working on scarlet, violet and blue.
I look forward to seeing the outcome.
MC7858attitude 